Sources: Bulls will either trade or waive point guard Rajon Rondo

Sources: Bulls will either trade or waive point guard Rajon Rondo

The Rajon Rondo era in Chicago is coming to an end. Multiple sources told CSN Insider Vincent Goodwill that the Bulls will either trade or release last year's starting point guard prior to the start of free agency on Friday night.

The Bulls currently hold a team option to use on Rondo that would pay him $13.4 million next season. Waiving Rondo would cost the team $3 million. Another team looking to free up cap space could conceivably trade for Rondo and then waive him, although it seems unlikely that happens before free agency starts at 11:01 p.m.

Rondo was a surprising addition last year to a Bulls team that was trying to get "younger and more athletic," as general manager Gar Forman told the media after trading Derrick Rose.

Rondo, 30, had just completed a 2015-16 campaign with the Kings in which he led the NBA in assists per game (11.7) and shot a career-best 36.5 percent from beyond the arc. But question marks surrounding his defense and chemistry issues with head coaches - he played for three teams in as many seasons before joining the Bulls - remained.

Rondo was benched in January after a particularly poor stretch in December, although injuries thrust him back into the starting lineup after a five-game DNP streak. He clashed with stars Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade through an Instagram post, questioning their leadership, in February. He ended the regular season on a tear, averaging 10.8 points and 7.1 assists in 21 games after the All-Star break. He shot 46 percent from deep, 47 percent from the field and had the Bulls playing some of their best basketball during that stretch.

That play continued into the playoffs when Rondo shocked the top-seeded Celtics, averaging 11.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 10.0 assists in a pair of wins in Boston. But Rondo suffered a broken thumb in practice and missed the rest of the series, with the Celtics ultimately winning in six games.

Gar Forman and John Paxson told the media at the end of the year they expected to bring Rondo back, but that was before they decided on draft night to deal Jimmy Butler and begin the rebuilding process. That traded netted them 23-year-old Kris Dunn and shooting guard Zach LaVine, and the team already has Cameron Payne and Jerian Grant at the position.

Competition bringing out the best in Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic

Competition bringing out the best in Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic

Competition can bring out the worst among us—insecurity, annoyance and even actions that can be deemed out of character. But it can also bring out a sense of gratefulness, desperation and even unexpected chemistry.

It can turn the story of Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic from being about one punch to them developing…a 1-2 punch.

The latter was on full display in the Bulls’ third straight win, an impressive 108-85 thrashing of the Eastern Conference leading Boston Celtics at the United Center. Mirotic was launching heat check after heat check while Portis was in his wide-eyed glory, matching Mirotic’s first-half production with 13 points, playing without hesitation but with a conscience.

In the absence of Lauri Markkanen, a late scratch with back spasms that developed through the afternoon, the incumbent power forwards played the way they expected to coming into the season.

The way Fred Hoiberg hoped this season would be one of competition developing, of culture resetting. Before the drama and before the 10-game losing streak that had the Bulls coach in a lose-lose situation.

“I talked about that a lot, even when we were going through the losing streak,” Hoiberg said. “Guys continued to work and compete, they were attentive at practice and film sessions. Kept their heads down and kept grinding and showed resiliency. They’re doing for each other. There’s no selfishness out there.”

The way they individually believed in themselves, before their actions derailed things, before Markkanen emerged and made observers feel their incident was a blessing in disguise as some form of silver lining.

But they didn’t have a sliver of understanding into Portis’ thinking, or even Mirotic’s motivations. Portis had to deal with third-degree burns on his foot due to a heat pack being on it too long, shortly after the All-Star break last season. So he couldn’t even take advantage of Taj Gibson being traded at the deadline to make a name for himself, with more playing time to be had.

Not even Portis himself wanted to get in his own way after putting in plenty of work through the summer, as his 23-point performance showed Monday. As he’s trying to show on a consistent basis, averaging 12.3 points and 6.4 rebounds.

So even through his transgression threatened his immediate future and overall future in the NBA, it all came back to the notion of competition.

“The best thing about this game is being able to compete and earn your minutes and earn your keep,” Portis said. “It’s what I had to do my first three years is earn my keep. I feel like I’ve done that and I have to keep going. It’s fun to go out there and play this game. Go out there and play hard, talk to the crowd and be myself.”

So when Portis and Mirotic work the spread game to rare perfection, it’s second nature to slap five on the way back downcourt. Mirotic rolling hard to the basket freed up Portis for one of his three triples. Portis sealing off his man led to the Celtics overhelping, leading to a Mirotic jumper.

“Bobby and I, we’re playing good,” Mirotic said. “We are finding each other during the game, and we are bringing the energy the team needs.”

“When we’re both on the court, it seems the team is playing really well. We need to give that credit to Fred because Fred is the one making us play. He’s the guy calling the plays and putting us in the right spot to play.”

Mirotic likes to joke things have fallen into place since he’s returned, as the Bulls are 3-0 since he’s been active. But there is a comfort level, both with the players and the coaching staff, having an experienced player on the floor.

Take the trade demands and Mirotic’s feelings on it however you will, but he’s played like March Niko, not pre-All Star break Niko who drives fans crazy with his inconsistency.

Joking with reporters about his play saying, “I know it’s not March”, Mirotic is well aware of the discrepancy from the magical month to the other maddening months through the season.

“I’ve been having a lot of confidence in myself so far,” Mirotic said. “I’ve been watching a lot of film and putting in a lot of work this summer. It was just about time for me to be back and get more minutes and get my conditioning back.”

Hoiberg said he’s not surprised by the chemistry between the two, and whether all will ever be well shouldn’t be expected. But Hoiberg is either clairvoyant or lying when he said he saw this coming.

“I’m not. They’re both pros,” Hoiberg said. “They’re both guys that are gonna go out and play with great passion and emotion. You can see it with the way they’re playing off each other out there. It’s been fun to watch.”

And although the Celtics were playing a funky back-to-back after beating Detroit Sunday afternoon, the Bulls’ effort sent them into submission. Portis is feeding off David Nwaba’s energy and it’s becoming a hallmark of this Bulls team—let’s be honest here. Effort had better be a hallmark of this team, this season.

Portis is playing for his career as restricted free agency is around the corner, playing for a chance to rebuild a reputation before he had a chance to truly develop one in his first two years.

And if it happens through the culture of competition, so be it.

“When you lose 10 straight it’s like the whole world is on your shoulders,” Portis said. “Now when you win everybody’s smiling and happy. I got to see both sides.”

“I feel like everybody’s learning their role. When we go out there and play a team, they’ll know whether they win or lose, the Bulls will give it their all.”

Fred Hoiberg sees energetic Bulls improving and 'taking steps in the right direction'

Fred Hoiberg sees energetic Bulls improving and 'taking steps in the right direction'

It’s not exactly a skill, which is good considering the makeup of the Bulls’ roster. And it’s tough to measure, so there’s no way of knowing exactly where they rank among other teams. But its results can be easily seen, and in a year where the Bulls have swapped out talent for youth, they’re discovering an energy and passion that’s suddenly resulting in unexpected victories.

The Bulls moved their winning streak to three games on Monday night against a tired and depleted – and yet still far more talented – Celtics team, earning a decisive 108-85 victory that displayed just how much this team still cares. Granted, caring alone and playing with energy won’t have them playing in May or June, but good habits being formed by young players give some optimism for the future.

It was everywhere on Monday night. A letdown of sorts from the Celtics could have been predicted. Boston was playing its third road game in four nights, and the first two (San Antonio on Friday, Detroit on Sunday) were anything but easy. MVP candidate Kyrie Irving was resting a quad contusion and even Al Horford (knee) wasn’t cleared to play until about 20 minutes until tip.

But talent alone still could have pushed the Celtics ahead against an inferior Bulls team. With young wins Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, a backcourt of Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier, and 30 minutes of Horford the Celtics were still equipped to get by a Bulls team that entered Monday with the league’s worst record.

But it didn’t happen. The Bulls were far more aggressive, contested jumpers that Boston wouldn’t, played passing lanes and went after loose balls that the Celtics watched more often than not. Boston took 40 3-pointers even without Irving (and Marcus Morris), and they committed 15 turnovers. It was sloppy throughout, and the Bulls took advantage.

Nikola Mirotic, starting in place of Lauri Markkanen (back), scored 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting. Kris Dunn was solid again, and the bench scored 30 first-half points that allowed the Bulls to lead by as many as 18 on a team that hadn’t lost a game by double digits all season.

Bobby Portis scored 23 points on 10-for-15 shooting, David Nwaba continued his stretch of stellar play with 13 points, six rebounds and a steal, and Jerian Grant chipped in nine assists in 23 minutes off the bench. The Bulls were solid across the board, holding the C's to their lowest point total of the year and shooting 48 percent with 12 3-pointers against the most efficient defense in the league.

“This is third game in a row now that everybody that’s stepped on the floor has made a positive contribution for the team,” Hoiberg noted.

Those habits are something Fred Hoiberg has seen all season, and his comments sounded more genuine than simple coach-speak. These Bulls players, a majority who are fighting for their spots in the league and their futures, have had the right attitude every night. The talent in the league is the result of a 6-20 record, not the effort.

“Even when we were going through the (10-game) losing streak our guys were coming in and continuing to work. They were very attentive in practice and film sessions,” Hoiberg said. “They kept their head down, kept grinding, and it’s paying off for us with the way these guys are going out every night and competing.

“We’ve come in every day and talked about, win or lose, taking steps in the right direction.”

The Bulls are still headed for the Lottery, and the truth is the majority of these Bulls working every day won’t be on the team when it’s time to contend for titles. But in a season where the Bulls had lost 15 and 16 without much of a direction, a three-game winning streak shows that this team is heading in the direction Hoiberg wants and that better days are coming because of it.